


He was here, alone

by Xesliny



Series: Final Fantasy XV One shots [1]
Category: Final Fantasy XV, 僕だけがいない街 | Boku dake ga Inai Machi | ERASED (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Brotherhood, Brotherhood: Final Fantasy XV, Drama, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Episode Prompto Spoilers, Flashbacks, Friendship, Gen, Hurt Prompto Argentum, Loneliness, Poor Prompto Argentum, Prompto Argentum Needs a Hug, Prompto Argentum is a Ray of Sunshine, Protective Gladiolus Amicitia, Protective Ignis Scientia, Protective Noctis Lucis Caelum, Sleepovers, Worried Noctis Lucis Caelum, Young Chocobros (Final Fantasy XV)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-20
Updated: 2020-01-20
Packaged: 2021-02-27 07:28:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,784
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22333429
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Xesliny/pseuds/Xesliny
Summary: When Prompto has befriended Noctis and stays over at his apartment for a sleepover, he realizes he is not alone anymore.ORThe breakfast scene from Erased in FFXV style.
Relationships: Gladiolus Amicitia & Prompto Argentum & Noctis Lucis Caelum & Ignis Scientia, Prompto Argentum & Noctis Lucis Caelum
Series: Final Fantasy XV One shots [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1607575
Comments: 30
Kudos: 117





	He was here, alone

**Author's Note:**

  * For [AnimeLover20](https://archiveofourown.org/users/AnimeLover20/gifts).



> Hi everyone,
> 
> The idea to have Prompto stay over at Noct's place and have him break down in a similar fashion to Kayo's breakfast scene from Erased comes from Animelover20!  
> Thank you, AnimeLover20, for requesting this idea!  
> The title is inspired by the OST 'She was here, alone' from Erased. Feel free to listen to that song while reading this since it adds to the feeling.
> 
> This is a short story compared to The Circle of Life.
> 
> I hope you guys enjoy this short story! ^-^

  
It has been a fun day, as it always was when they hung out together. After Noctis and Prompto spent the afternoon in the arcade, with Gladio never too far away to guard the Prince, the three boys grabbed a bite at the Crow’s Nest Diner in Insomnia. Noctis picking all the vegetables from his burger while Prompto made sure to eat his small order of fries. When they were done, they were waiting outside for Ignis to pick Noctis up and drive him back to his apartment, as they usually did.  
This time, however, was different since Prompto was staying over at Noctis' place for a sleepover. 

Noctis met Prompto during elementary school. But if you’d ask Prompto, he’d say they met during high school. Noctis has realized over the months they’ve spent together, and where they rapidly became best friends, that Prompto does not like to talk about his past. Whenever Noctis would ask out of curiosity, Prompto would always find a way to dance around the subject and they’d end up talking about something completely different. Noctis is okay with it and he doesn’t push Prompto to tell him.   
He trusts his friend and he is sure Prompto knows that Noctis will be there for him whenever he does want to tell him. 

It doesn't take long for Ignis to drive the Audi R8 Star of Lucis up to them, perfectly on time, and comes to a halt so they can get in. The car Noctis' birthday present, but the Prince does not have his driver's license yet so Ignis drives him around in it instead. Noctis picks his usual spot in the back, Prompto sits down next to him in the back and places his backpack next to his feet, which leaves Gladio to take the passenger seat.  
  
When Ignis asks them how their day was, Noctis gives short answers as always. Prompto fills him in with more details but some of them are unnecessary, like how many times Prompto beat Noctis at that one shooter game. Noctis smiles softly as he watches his blond friend talk excitedly about how much fun they had. That’s also something Noctis likes about Prompto. His friend is always so genuine. His face lights up when he is excited and it never fails to make Noctis smile.  
  
Today is the first time Prompto comes over to his apartment. They usually met up outside of school or during the weekends to hang out in Insomnia and take pictures or go to the Arcade. But now, Prompto will come to his place and spend the night. Noctis doesn’t need to worry about the mess at his apartment. He knows Ignis cleaned up everything and prepared everything so that he and Prompto can sleep in his room. Whatever would he do without Ignis? He doesn’t deserve him. Despite everything being prepared, Noctis still feels a little anxious. After all, this is the first time he himself had a friend, outside of Ignis and Gladio but that's different, over. What if Prompto doesn’t enjoy it? Or what if it will be boring?  
Glancing at his friend from the corner of his eye his worries melt away a little. No. It’s never boring with Prompto. 

  
~~~

  
As they enter the apartment, Prompto drops his backpack on the floor and looks around wide-eyed. ‘OMG! There’s so much space!’  
Noctis looks around. Is it? ‘I suppose so…’  
It certainly looks bigger without his mountains of garbage and royal reports. Noctis is glad Ignis has stored them away for now. He doesn’t want to be distracted by his work. He wants to spend the evening with Prompto and have fun.  
  
Prompto sits down hesitantly on the couch at the coffee table in the room.  
Noctis plops down next to him, ‘It’s just a couch. It’s meant to be sat on.’  
Prompto relaxes slightly, ‘Hehe, yeah I know. It’s just… everything here is so clean and looks so expensive.’  
Noctis smiles, ‘Yeah 'cause no one uses half of it. I don’t get a lot of visitors. Usually, it’s just the three of us and Dad visits from time to time to check on me. But you might as well get used to it since you’ll be here more often.’  
Prompto stares at Noctis. Then he smiles softly, ‘Thanks, Noct.’  
  
Noctis responds by squeezing Prompto’s shoulder before fishing his phone out of his pocket.  
‘So, you said something about beating my high score?’  
Prompto’s smile turns into a grin, ‘Oh yeah! I’ll definitely beat you again!’  
Noctis smirks, ‘You were just lucky this afternoon.’  
Prompto’s voice is soft when he speaks next. It’s so quiet Noctis almost doesn’t hear it.  
‘I’ve been lucky since you became my friend.’  
  
Noctis doesn’t respond to that since he’s not sure he was meant to hear it. But he finds himself agreeing. So is he.

  
~~~

  
When the night fell and the younger boys retreated to their room, Ignis and Gladio stayed in the main room of the apartment for a little while longer.  
Ignis takes a sip from his Ebony coffee as he hears the two boys laugh loudly from behind the closed door to Noctis’ room.   
Gladio snorts, ‘Wonder if you’ll be able to get any sleep tonight.’  
Ignis shrugs, ‘I don’t mind. It is nice to see Noctis so… happy.’  
‘Yeah, especially with his worries about his old man's health lately. It’s good to see him smile again.’  
Ignis takes another sip, ‘I’ll be sure to give Prompto our thanks when I drive him back home tomorrow.’  
Gladio nods, ‘He’s a good kid. I’m glad they became friends.’  
  
Ignis places his cup down and stares into the deep brown, almost black, coffee. ‘He is.’  
Something about the tone in which Ignis said that, caught Gladio’s interest. He gauges his friend’s face and sees a faint hint of worry in his eyes.  
‘…What do you know about him?’ Gladio asks Ignis, suspecting he's worried about Prompto instead of their charge for a change.   
Ignis meets Gladio’s gaze and thinks about his words before answering. ‘I did a background check on him after Noctis first mentioned him to us.’  
‘Of course you did,’ Gladio is not the least bit surprised, ‘And? What did you find?’  
Ignis’ shoulders tense a little, ‘He was adopted when he was young... He is not from Insomnia.’  
Gladio raises an eyebrow, ‘Is that all?’ Gladio doubts it is. That would not explain why Ignis would look worried.  
Ignis takes a breath when he answers carefully, ‘He is not from Lucis.’  
This time, Gladio _is_ surprised. ‘Not from Lucis?’ Gladio repeats, ‘Then… Tenebrae?’  
  
The look Ignis gives him says enough.  
  
‘He’s with _the Empire!?’_ Gladio hisses surprised.  
‘No,’ Ignis shoots Gladio a sharp look, ‘As I said, he was adopted when he was very young. He was found in a… Magitek Production Facility when he was a baby. He was brought to Lucis and the adoption has been certified as a secret. His adoption parents accepted to take care of him in exchange for a large sum of money but they were sworn to secrecy.’  
Gladio frowns deeply. What the heck!? ‘A Magitek Production Facility!? What the heck’s a baby doing there?' His eyes widen, 'Do you think he is-’  
‘I don’t know,’ Ignis says, ‘As far as I am concerned Prompto Argentum is Noctis’ best friend and his heart is in the right place.’  
Gladio rubs a hand over his face. Of course, the Prince’s best friend just had to be someone from Niflheim. The irony.  
‘Damn Noct, how does he always manage to pull these things off?’  
‘Prompto may not be a Lucian by birth, but he has earned my trust. Noctis became friends with him of his own accord. I believe Prompto did too.’  
  
A nostalgic look falls over Ignis’ gaze and Gladio patiently waits for Ignis to continue.  
‘Whenever I picked Noctis up from elementary school, there was a boy watching him. I could tell that he was hesitant to approach Noctis and simply settled for watching him from a distance. Noctis was, of course, very popular so I never gave it much thought since most children would stare at him. But then, after a few months, I noticed that that boy slowly lost some weight. After that, I didn't see him anymore and I didn't think much of it. Until years later, when I picked Noctis up from high school. On the very first day, a blond boy approached Noct. At first, I could not recognize him since he was tall and lean. Noctis was surprised by the greeting but he had smiled. He already knew him. And that was when I realized that it was the boy who had been watching him during elementary school. That was Prompto.’  
Ignis takes another sip, ‘I believe he lost weight in order to befriend Noct. I think he didn’t deem himself worthy to befriend him the way he was back then.’  
  
Gladio looks at the closed door where they can still hear the two boys chat.  
‘Really? I can’t imagine that kid with much fat on him. He’s just as scrawny as Noct.’  
‘Which makes it my job to make sure these two eat properly. Starting with tomorrow’s breakfast.'  
Gladio grins, ‘Make sure to add extra vegetables for his Highness.’  
'Always,' Ignis smiles as he takes another sip of his coffee.  
Gladio leans back in his chair, ‘You’re right though. I also don’t think Prompto has any ulterior motives. There were many occasions where Prompto could’ve tried something, but nothing ever happened.’ He points to the scar on his face, ‘If anything, he came to warn me when that drunk bothered Noct. He truly cares about him.’  
Ignis nods, ‘And Noctis cares about him too.’  
  
‘…Does Noct know? About Prompto being from Niflheim?’ Gladio asks him.  
Ignis shakes his head, ‘That’s not my place to tell. I doubt Prompto has told Noctis much about his home situation. Now that I think about it, I also realized that Prompto’s adoptive parents are never home. He’s mostly on his own.’  
Gladio’s eyes widen, ‘What? For how long?’  
Ignis rubs the bridge of his nose, ‘For a very long time it seems. Whenever I drive Prompto home after they hang out, the lights are off and there is never a car in front of the house. When I ask Prompto about it, he just says his parents are off working. I doubt that’s the truth and I can only imagine that that situation is no sudden change. Prompto did not seem the least bit surprised a single time.’  
‘Damn,’ Gladio curses, ‘He’s a freaking kid! He’s not supposed to be alone! Heck, no one should.’  
  
Ignis places a comforting gloved hand on the Shield’s balled fist, ‘He isn’t alone anymore. He has Noct and he has us.’  
A comforting silence washes over them.   
‘If Prompto doesn’t know he is from Niflheim, are you going to tell him?’  
'No,' Ignis shakes his head, ‘But if he will ever learn the truth, we will be there for him.’  
Gladio nods, ‘We will.’  
  
From behind the closed door, not a sound can be heard as the younger boys have fallen asleep in the middle of their chat.  


~~~

  
Prompto was both nervous and excited. The whole day had been so much fun. When Noctis had invited him to sleep over, Prompto had hesitated.  
What was he supposed to do during a sleepover? He had no idea. He never had a sleepover before. He never had a _friend_ before. He has always been alone, for as long as he can remember.  
He can’t picture the faces of the people he calls his parents. The only thing he sees of them is the small amount of money on the table when he returns home after school. But no one is ever there.  
At school, no one ever spoke to him. He was alone. The only other person he knew that was alone at school, was Prince Noctis. But he was the total opposite of Prompto. He was popular and good looking. The others wanted to befriend him, but the Prince didn’t seem to want to. Prompto would have loved to have friends. He didn’t know why no one wanted to be friends with him. He wondered if it had something to do with the strange barcode tattoo on his wrist. He made sure to always cover it with a wristband but still, no one ever approached him.  
After a while, he gave up.

The first time he wasn’t alone anymore, was when he found Tiny. It was the first time in a long time that he was happy. After he found the little wounded dog and brought her to his home to nurse her back to health, it soothed a bit of the pain in his heart that his loneliness left. For the first time, he didn’t eat alone. He didn’t sleep alone. There was someone waiting for him when he came home.   
Until one day, Tiny had left him.  
  
_And he was alone again._  
  
The day his first friend left him, he found a letter on his doormat. It was written by a girl named Lunafreya, a friend of Prince Noctis who had thought that Prompto was also a friend of Noctis. That is what encouraged him to talk to Noctis and maybe, one day, become something close to friends.  
He tried. But he couldn’t. Noctis was the Prince after all. What would the Prince want with someone like him? One day, when he messed up and fell, Noctis had been kind enough to try and help him back up. Prompto was surprised that the young Prince had bothered but he was grateful. That brief interaction filled his heart with a warmth he wasn’t sure he’d ever felt before because someone, quite literally, reached for his hand and helped him. When Noctis let out the word ‘heavy’ as he finally managed to get Prompto up on his feet, something hit him. As he watched the Prince hurry back after the bell rang, Prompto stayed behind watching him leave. Heavy?   
  
Desperate not to be alone anymore, desperate for a friend, Prompto started jogging and changing his diet. He was desperate to lose weight, believing that when he did Noctis might give him a chance to become friends. So he trained and he lost weight. And more. And three years later, when he applied to the same school as Noctis and passed the entrance exam, he saw the Prince again.

His heart pounded as he watched Noctis walk through the hallways, alone and being gawked at by others, the same way as in elementary school. Prompto gathered his courage, afraid the Prince might reject him, he took a deep breath and adjusted his wristband so it fully covered the barcode. He ran up to Noctis and patted his shoulder in a friendly gesture, shooting him a smile that looked more confident than he felt. All his hard work had been for this moment.   
  
‘Hey there, Prince Noctis!’   
  
Noctis faces him surprised.  
‘I’m Prompto! Nice to meet you!’  
  
A silence fell. Prompto swallowed and resisted to urge to bolt.  
  
Noctis looked right at him. Then he smiled, ‘Don’t I know you?’  
Prompto’s eyes widened. No way… He remembered him? After all that time?  
  
That one moment where he fell and Noctis helped him bak up... had been enough for the Prince to remember him?  
The corner of Prompto’s mouth twitched and he closed his eyes to not let the raven-haired boy notice he was tearing up.  
Instead, he laughed a close-eyed smile and they continued walking together.  
Noctis pat Prompto’s shoulder just like he had and smiled at the blond. That had been enough for Prompto.  
That little sign of affection and Noctis’ smile told him what he had always wanted to hear. What he had needed to hear.  
_  
You’re not alone anymore._  
  
And now here he was, a few months later, sleeping on a mattress on the ground next to Prince Noctis, his best friend, during their first, and hopefully not last, sleepover.  
It had been so much fun! They’ve been playing games throughout the whole night and they chatted till their eyes couldn’t stay open anymore.  
Having someone sleep in the same room as him is so comforting that Prompto doesn’t remember the last time he slept this well.  
  
Prompto was awoken from his sleep when there was a knock on the door. He yawned and blinked to clear his vision. Morning light shone through the curtains into the room.  
The door softly opened and Ignis appeared in the door entrance. Prompto sat up and stretched while Noctis was still fast asleep.  
‘Good morning,’ Ignis greets him, ‘Breakfast is ready. So you should come and eat before it gets cold.’   
Prompto smiles, ‘Thanks Iggy!’ He turns to his friend, ‘Noct! Breakfast is ready!’  
No response. Prompto frowns, ‘Noct?’ he moves closer to him and shakes him lightly, ‘Noct, breakfast! Come on!’  
Noctis groans softly and turns his back to Prompto.  
Ignis sighs, ‘He is always like that. I’ll go get Gladio.’  
  
Gladio? What’s he gonna do? _Drag_ Noctis to breakfast? Hahaha…ha…. He really is gonna do that, isn’t he?  
  
‘Noct, wake up! If you don’t, the big guy will probably drag you out,’ Prompto tries again and pats Noctis cheek.  
Noctis swats his hand away and turns back annoyed, ‘Prom?’  
‘Yeah, it’s me buddy. I stayed over, remember?’  
Noctis slowly opens his eyes and looks at him. ‘I’m up,’ he says and forces himself to sit upright.   
‘Great!’ Prompto says standing up, ‘Ignis said breakfast was ready.’  
Noctis rubs the sleep from his eyes before letting Prompto help him up.  
'You know, for the Prince of a country with where the Capital is called _Insomnia_ , you sure sleep tight.'  
Noctis snorts and lets Prompto guide him to breakfast.  
  
When they leave the room, Gladio and Ignis, who were no doubt on their way to Noct, stare at them surprised.   
‘His Royal Laziness woke up without our help?’ Gladio states his shock.  
Ignis smiles, ‘You must tell us how you did that Prompto, but first, dig in.’  
Prompto raises an eyebrow. But he hadn't really done anything. Noctis just seemed to listen to him?  
The blond boy just grins cheekily and bounces over to the table for breakfast, feeling hungry.  
  
He stands in front of the table and looks at the food. His breath catches in his throat.  
  
Noctis plops down on a chair at the breakfast table and slips the cabbage from the Croque Madame on his plate and Gladio and Ignis sit down next to dig in. They're all seated, except for Prompto who stands behind a chair and stares wide-eyed at the full plate meant for him with a sandwich of cabbage, with warm bacon and a fried egg.  
  
He blinks.  
He is twelve again. Sitting at a table that is too big for just him. Looking at the cheap doughnut on his plate that he had bought from the small amount of money his parents had left him for that week.   
  
He blinks again.  
He is fourteen, outside in the snow, taking a break from jogging. Sitting on a bench that is too big for just him. Looking at the apple he bought to replace the doughnuts, hoping the change will help him lose weight.  
  
He blinks again and he is here.  
Looking at a warm, welcoming, home-cooked meal. Standing behind a table that looks _small_ now that it’s no longer just him.  
  
_He is not alone anymore._  
  
His lip trembles, a soft sob escapes his lips and a tear rolls down his face onto the table. Everyone sees it.  
  
Noctis swallows his bite as he looks at Prompto in surprise. Why is he crying? He is sure it has something to do with Prompto's past. he feels grief for his friend. It hurts him to know that his best friend suffers so much. He wants to help him, but he does not exactly know what's going on. He knows Prompto will tell confide in him eventually and tell him. And when Prompto will tell him, Noctis will be there to listen. He will always be there for his friend.  
Gladio looks away with balled fists. He looks like he wants to hurt someone for making Prompto suffer.  
Ignis moves over to Prompto with a kind smile and Noctis can see in Ignis' eyes that his heart also breaks at seeing the blond boy cry.   
  
Prompto rubs at his eyes, but he can’t stop the tears from escaping. he can't control his voice as sobs escape him. He has been alone for _so long_. He has _longed_ for this for so long. Right now, he feels so _grateful_ and _lucky._  
  
All the tears he held back in an empty room - _when there was no one to hear him cry, when there was no one to see him suffer, when there was no one to care for him_ – all these tears finally got out.  
  
He feels someone guiding him to his seat at the table, the familiar warm hand on his left shoulder, the same hand that had helped him years ago, telling him that it is Noctis. The gloved hand on his right shoulder tells him that Ignis is the one rubbing his back soothingly and placing a box of tissues in front of him with his other hand. The big comforting hand ruffling his hair obviously belongs to Gladio.  
When he finally feels himself calm down he blinks and opens his eyes. He grabs a few tissues and furiously wipes his tears.  
  
‘S-Sorry,’ he croaks, ‘Guess I got a little emotional, eh?’  
  
Despite his attempt to lighten the mood with a joke, the others don’t laugh. They all look at him with so much warmth and understanding that he feels tears well up again. How… How did he get so _lucky?_ What did he do to deserve such amazing friends?  
He takes a few deep breaths and feels his mind clear slowly.   
  
‘You okay, buddy?’ Noctis asks him. The concern in his gaze is so genuine it warms Prompto’s heart.   
‘I’m fine now,’ Prompto nods. He wipes the last of his tears and flashes him a smile to prove his point. Noctis smiles back.   
‘Good. You should eat before it gets cold,’ Gladio tells Prompto.  
‘There is plenty more,’ Ignis smiles, ‘Be sure to eat as much as you want.’  
Prompto’s lip trembles at their kindness. He nods gratefully and takes his first bite. 

He always heard people say home-cooked meals taste the best.   
  
Now, after all this time, he can confirm that… _They really do._

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you all for reading! Please let me know what you think and please leave Kudos if you liked it! Love you all!


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